It is well known to manufacture various types of easy open style ends for use in the packaging of beer and beverages in cans. Such easy open ends typically include a tab, which is secured to an end panel by means of an integral rivet formed in the panel. A score line is formed in the end in order to define a tear-away panel portion which is ruptured and separated from the panel when the tap is lifted. The design and operation of such easy open can ends are fully described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,749,257; 5,755,134; and 5,738,237, which are assigned to the assignee of the instant invention, and the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
In the manufacture of such easy open can ends for use in the beer and beverage industry, an end shall is conveyed through a conversion press having a set of lane tooling. The lane tooling typically defines between six to eight discrete stations at which various metal working operations are performed on the end shell. The metal working operations include the formation of an integral rivet in the end shell to which a tab is eventually attached and the scoring of the end shell panel to define that portion of the panel which is ruptured and torn away from the panel during the opening operation. The lane tooling comprises upper and lower tooling members mounted in the conversion press for reciprocal movement toward and away from each other. Such conversion presses are well know and are taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,760,729 and 5,119,924, which are assigned to the assignee of the instant invention, and the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
A conversion press is capable of operating at speeds of 600 strokes per minute and is typically operated around the clock to maximize the output of easy open ends. This level of use results in wear to the lane tooling, particularly the score tool, and the need for its periodic maintenance and replacement. It is the current practice to utilize tool steel for the manufacture of, for example, the score tool of the lane tooling. While a generally acceptable working life is achieved with tool steel, this material is expensive and difficult to work with. It is not uncommon to experience a thirty percent scrap rate in the manufacture of score tooling.
It is an object of this invention to provide a modular tooling system for use in the lane tooling of a conversion press.
It is another object of this invention to provide a modular tooling system which simplifies the manufacturer and assembly of tooling members, particularly tooling members subject to excessive wear.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a method for the replacement of wear tooling that reduces the cost of the tooling and the time necessary for the manufacture and assembly of replacement tooling.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a modular tooling system which permits the simplified system of refurbishing wear tooling and ensuring the precise alignment of the working face of a complex tooling element.